A BILL to amend and reenact section thirteen, article twenty,
chapter nineteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to creating the
misdemeanor offense of permitting a dog to run at large
without maintaining physical control of the dog with a leash;
and penalty.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:That section thirteen, article twenty, chapter nineteen of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 20. DOGS AND CATS.

§19-20-13. Dog running at large; liability of owner.

(a) An owner or keeper of a dog who permits the dog to run at
large without maintaining physical control of the dog with a leash is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be
fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred
dollars.(b)AnyAn owner or keeper of anya dog who permits suchthe
dog to run at large shall beis liable for any damages inflicted
upon the person or property of another by suchthe dog while soit
is running at large.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create a statewide dog
leash law.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.